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UBRARY OF CONGRE^ 





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PRICE, $2.00, 

"THE SILENT mSTRUCTOR," 

CONTAINING 

Over 280 Valuable Receipts 

r"! For Varnishes, Stains, Cements, iLackers, Bronzes, 
Sizes, Glues, Inks, Paints, Silvering, Black- 
ing, Glass Paper, Pilling, Tooth Paste, 
Hair Restorer, Cleaning "Water, Test- 
ing Oils, Alcohol and Turpentine, 
Dying "Wood, Ivory and Bone, 
Imitations Gold, Silver, Brass, Copper and Tin, 
Varnish for Oil Paintings, Chromos, Prints, 
Maps, Card "Work, Show Cards, Carriages, 
and Furniture, Sizing for All Kinds of 
Work, Polishing "Wood, Ivory, Bone, 
Marble, Brass, Silver and Stones, 

AND NUMEROUS OTHER VALUABIiE 
INFORMATION, 



FULL INSTRUCTIONS 

HOW TO MAKE AND USE, 



Revised and Copyrighted for the Sixth time, by 
W. THOMAS, Columbus, Ohio. 



Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1876, by 
W. Thomas, in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at 
Washington. 






>^3- 



A^ 



THE SILENT INSTRUOTOR. 



Black "Walnut to Mahogany. 

Fill a bottle little more than one-quarter 
full of red sanders (a red wood dust) ; then 
fill up the bottle with alcohol, shake occa- 
sionally and put away. Pour off what you 
want for present use, leaving the balance in 
the bottle. If it is too strong, dilute it with 
more alcohol ; and if not strong enough, add 
more red sanders, strain the grounds through 
a bit of open rag before throwing the grounds 
away. This liquid will turn black walnut 
into mahogany as soon as it is rubbed on ; 
and remember, whatever • color it is 
while wet, the varnish will make it look that 
same color after it is varnished. This stain 
will improve ail furniture in color, only do 
not use it strong enough to ch? 7^e its color 
m^e than to tinge it. 

Rosewood— Read this Oarefully. 

The simplest method to make rosewood 
on all light colored woods is : first, go over 
the wood with red sanders stain, then 



with asphaltum varnish, comb it after ap- 
plying the asphaltum varnish, so as the red 
will show through ; then, if you want it 
first-class, go over it again with red sanders 
stain. The second coat of red sanders hides 
the asphaltum appearance and enriches the 
shades, and this will never fade ; and red 
sanders stain will also improve walnut, rose- 
wood, cedar, mahogany, &c., or, in fact, all 
dark furniture, by just tinging it, besides it 
brings out the grain and keeps the yellow 
shades of the varnish from smothering the 
grain, and, to my mind, it pays, for it en- 
hances the value of the wood, especially on 
good furniture. It is indispensable on rose- 
wood. You may try a little in your varnish 
on any old or new furniture, and you will 
be convinced. Of course, if you put it in 
the varnish, you must be careful to spread 
it evenly and not have it too strong the first 
coat ; every coat will darken it. Asphaltum 
varnish and red sanders stain can be mixed. 
Turpentine will mix it to any shade, so that 
you may stain over painter's graining, and, if 
not too thick, the graining will be improved; 
and, by this means, even panneled doors that 
are dirty can be renewed. You must use judg- 
ment as to colors, by mixing the right quan- 
tities of red sanders stain, asphaltum var- 
nish and turpentine — asphaltum to make it 



3 

dark, red sanders to make it red, and tur- 
pentine to thin the whole. 

To Stain Light Woods to Mahogany, 
Ne^w "Woods. 

First, stain the wood to a black walnut 
with asphaltum varnish, then stain with red 
Sanders stain; if the asphaltum varnish is 
too thick, dilute it with turpentine, or you 
ca;n mix the two stains together. 

Common Pine Furniture to Mahogany, 
Ne"w Furniture. 

Make a sizing of whiting and Venetian 
red, mixed with warm water, to the consist- 
ency of thick whitewash, put in as much 
thinly dissolved glue as will make the sizing 
stick to the wood, give the wood two coats, 
if it is knotty, and when dry rub with a 
cloth ; then varnrsh with red sanders stain 
in the varnish ; the sizing hides all flaws or 
defects in common pine wood. 

Old Pine Furniture to Mahoga^ny that has 
been Varnished, 

First, give the furniture a coat of asphal- 
tum varnish, make it dark enough to hide 
marks, scratches, or dirt, then varnish with 
red sanders stain in the varnish, or you can 
mix the two stains, which is best in most 
cases, then varnish. 



Black Walnut Furniture to Mahogany, 
Old Furniture. 

The same as for old pine furniture, only 
make the asphaltum varnish lighter by 
adding turpentine to it, because the wood 
is darker than pine. Treat all old fur- 
niture the same. Turpentine thins asphal- 
tum, and alcohol weakens red sanders stain. 

Another Mahogany Stain. — Dragon's 
blood used the same as red sanders, but it 
is too expensive and does not stand so well. 

Again, — By applying aquafortis diluted 
with water to dark new woods will make a 
mahogany. 

To Darken Mahogany. 

Use sal soda or ley, but do not have it 
too strong ; dilute it with water. 

"Walnut Stain 

Can be obtained with vinegar and brown 
umber, or Vandyke brown. 

Satin Wood Stain 

Can be obtained with very light red sanders 
stains, on light woods. It must only be 
tinged. 

For Rosewood. 

Dissolve two ounces pulverized extract of 
pgwood in one pint of boiling water (bettejc 



5 

let it boil till dissolved). Apply two coats 
to the Avood while hot, and, to make the 
rosewood grain, stripe it according to fancy 
when dry with acetic acid, and when dry 
rub off all the black you can with a rough 
cloth before varnishing. 

Again.— A rosewood can be obtained 
on all light colored woods by staining 
with asphaltum varnish mixed with a little 
spirit varnish, then varnishing with varnish 
well stained with red sanders stain ; but 
there will be no rosewood grain. 

Again. — Bright shades for ground (use 
cold) : put one-fourth of an ounce ofCam- 
wood into one pint of alcohol; let it stand 
twenty-four hours, then add three drachms 
of extract of logwood and one drachm of 
aquafortis ; apply one, two or three coats; 
and for striping grain, use iron filings in 
vinegar, after standing in a bottle a few 
hours ; stripe with comb, brush or rag. 

Again. — Dark shade for ground: equal 
parts of logwood chips and redwood chips, 
boiled in just enough water to make a strong 
stain, apply while hot, one, two or three 
coats, directly after each other, and stripe 
with same as for bright ground ; or if a rose 
pink to stripe with is desired, use one ounce 



6 

potash, one quart water, one ounce red San- 
ders (extract color from red sanders, same 
as for mahogany stain), and mix together, 
then add half pound shellac, dissolve by a 
quick fire; use this upon logwood for imita- 
tion. 

Again. — By staining the wood as red as 
possible with red sanders, then stripe with 
asphaltum varnish ; or burned brown umber, 
mixed with vinegar. 

For Ebony, 

Use the same as for rosewood, without strip- 
ing a grain ; use a little dropblack in polish 
or varnish. 

Again. — A good black can be obtained 
with one and a half ounces gum shellac and 
one and a half ounces white pine gum, dis- 
solved in alcohol ; add three drachms drop- 
black, and put a little dropblack in the var- 
nish. 

Cherry Stain 

Can be made on light w^oods with red sanders 
stain. 

Again.— Boil one ounce anotta in twelve 
ounces rain water ; when the color is well 
extracted put in a bit of potash, the size of 
two peas, and keep it on the fire half hour 
or longer. 



Imitation of Bird's Eye Maple on Pine^ 
Beach or all Light Colored 1^7'oods. 
Have a piece of iron that has a point t) 
it; make it red hot ; hold the hot point to 
the wood, and it will scorch or burn a spot ; 
make as many ey^s or spots as you desire, 
and varnish without any stain, and it will 
resemble the eye as in maple. Scorch the 
spots dark enough, but not too dark. Do 
not let the iron touch the Avood. 

Beautiful Shades on Light Colored "Woods 

Can be made by holding a flat piece of red 
hot iron close to the wood, so as to scorch it 
irregularly. 

AGAiN.~By making sand as hot as it can 
be made, and throwing it on the board in 
uneven thickness ; this will bring out very 
beautiful shades. 

To Make a Hickory/ Walking- Stick or 
Fishing-Rod into Ebony. 

First stain with red Sanders stain, then 
run the stick through a fire or gas light till 
it is scorched black. Keep it moving so it 
will not get on fire, then polish or varnish 
with a little dropblack in varnish. 

Mixing Oil with Shellac or Water Colors 
of any Shade. 
When oil is used for varnish you can mix 



8 

it with shellac varnish so that colors will mix 
by adding pure turpentine. Turpentine will 
unite oil, shellac and alcohol, or water with 
any colors. 

Dissolving Shellao or Kosin in IVater as 
for Paint. 

One pound of shellac, three pounds of 
rosin, one pound sal soda; boil slowly till 
dissolved. It may require more soda if shel- 
lac does not dissolve. 

Again. — Urine, or any alkalies, will dis- 
solve shellao or rosin. 

Blue Stain. 

Use bright Prussian blue. This color 
must be mixed with white shellac or white 
varnish, as orange shellac has a yellow caste, 
and that would turn blue to a greenish shade. 

G-reen Stain. 

Use turmeric, saffron, or crome yellow, 
mixed with alcohol. 

Orang-e Stain. 

Use vermilion or carmine mixed with 
crome yellow, and be sure and have a good, 
full yellow, or it will look poor or watery, 

Salmon Stain. 

Dutch pink and red sanders stain. 



9 

Flesh Color, 

Can be made by using different c[uantitie3 of 
Dutch pink and red sanders stain. 

Purple Stain. 

Lake united with Prussian blue or carmine. 

Transparent. 

Oil of turpentine, four ounces ; oil of lav- 
ender, three ounces ; camphor, one-half 
drachm ; copal (ground), one ounce ; this 
will do also for tin. 

Scarlet. 

Use ground vermilion, but better cover 
this with rose pink or lake, as of itself it is 
too glaring. 

Crimson. 

Use sal flower or India lake dissolved in 
alcohol, which you will make your varnish 
of, by adding shellac, and varnish with this. 

To Brown G-un Barrels. 

Tincture of iodine, diluted with one-half 
its bulk of water. After cleaning the barrel 
bright, sponoe it with the above, and let it 
stand forty-eight hours ; then rub well. 

Bright Yellow. 

Can be made on wood by putting a little 
aloes in the varnish. 



10 
To Take Bruises Out of Furniture. 

Thoroughly wet the bruises, then fold 
brown paper to several thicknesses, place it 
on the bruised part, iron it with a hot flat 
iron ; repeat this till the bruise disappears. 
A hot poker will do for a small bruise. 

Removing Ink Spots from Wood. 

Apply spirits salts till the ink disappears 
and immediately wash with water. 

French Polish, 

Dissolve two ounces gum shellac in eight 
ounces of alcohol. 

Superior Polish. 

Dissolve one and a half ounces gum shel- 
lac, one drachm sandarac and three drops 
of acetic acid in three ounces of alcohol. 

Instructions on Polishinga 

Put a little of the polish on a bit of cot- 
ton wadding, then cover the wadding with a 
piece of soft cotton rag, and rub over the 
surface to be polished, observing the follow- 
ing rules : 

1st. If the polish is too thick, it will not 

flow from the rubber or rag that you rub 

with on to the wood, but will shine the face 

f t le rag instead of the wood ; if too thick^ 

ut more alcohol in the polish. 



11 

2(1. If you make the polish too thin, it 
will not polish the wood or the rag, because 
there is not substance enough in the polish. 

3l1. Put just enough raw linseed oil on 
the wood with your finger to keep the rag 
from sticking ; if too much oil is used the 
polish will not stand, and if too little, the 
polish will be dull and will stick to the rub- 
ber. 

4th. When you first put fresh polish on 
the rubber or wadding, do not bear too hard 
when rubbing, or you will squeeze out too 
much polish, and the alcohol in the polish, 
will bite or dissolve that polish which is al- 
ready on the wood, and it will rub off 
in spots, but as your rag gets dryer bear 
harder. 

5th. Do not be in a hurry to get a shine ; 
till you have had practice, rub slowly and 
rub in circles, not with the grain or straight, 
or the polish will be streaky. 

6th. If the polish should rub off in spots 
through your applying it too fast, rub less 
on those spots till they harden, and better 
let all rest occasionallv to harden ; this is 
only till you get in the way of it. Begin- 
ners are so apt to rub too fast or put too 
much polish on at a time, and rub as though 
they were cleaning brass, and so rub the 
polish off as fast as they rub it. You rub 



12 

merely to spread the polish; it is not frir^tirm 
that causes it to shine, 

7th. When there is sufficient body or pol- 
ish on the wood, be sure and not leave it till I 
every drop of the polish Ih rubbed out of the 3 
rag, and in order to get it all out, put a little ^ 
alcohol on the rag — not too much at a time, . 
or it will take the polish oft— just enough to ) 
work out the polish that remains iu the wad-- 
ding; and this also takes off the oil that re- 
mains on the surface, which is right to do ) 
when finishing. 

8th. jSTever leave off at any time with any 
polish in your rag; rub it dry always, or the 
polish will not stand. 

9th. Begin first on a piece of board, say 
two feet square, till you get in the way of it. . 

10th. Learn to polish first without stain i 
in the polish ; have the surface smooth, and I 
when you do use stain do not put too much 
in the polish, or you will get an uneven 
color. Remember, the longer you rub with 
stain in the polish the darker it will become. 

11th. Take your time: more trouble is 
caused by being in a hurry than any other 
thing. Do not be discouraged ; persevere 
with patience, and you will soon wonder why 
you ever had any trouble ; and once learned, 
you never forget, and it will pay you. 

N. B. — We call the wadding you rub with 
a rubber, simply because you rub with it. 



13 

Remarks on Old Furniture. 
1st. Varnish it with a brush. 
2d. Before varnishing such as mahogany, 
black walnut, rosewood, or any dark woods 
better mix a little turpentine with asphaltum 
and a little red sanders stain together ; go 
oyer the work with this just dark enough to 
hide dirt spots or marks of any kind, and 
give one coat of this, then the work is ready 
tor varnishing. If the colors do not go on 
evenly, it is because you use too much stain; 
better go over the work twice. All the 
stain will mix with the cheap varnish made 
with rosm as well as with other varnish; but 
mmd while staining the wood with stain and 
varnish mixed, the varnish must be quite 
thm, or the color will not spread evenly. 

3d. Red sanders stain always imnroves 
old mahogany, and will turn black walnut 
mto mahogany, if strong enough. This 
stam IS also good for rosewood, and really 
improves all old furniture, by having it 
strong or weak, as the case may re- 
quire. You must judge of the shade 
you wish to make it, by adding more or less. 
Asphaltum varnish is a stain; and when 
using this stain, better go over the furniture 
with this first, then varnish. This stain will 
renew all old black walnut to its original 
colors, and even after using this stain, a little 



14 

reel Sanders stain in the varnish improves it. 
Buy your asphaltum varnish (unless you 
want much of it), as it is cheap, and can be 
made dark or light by using a little turpen- 
tine or benzine with it. 

Cement for Cracks in Wood. 
Dissolve one part of glue in sixteen parts 
of water, and when almost cool stir in saw- 
dust and prepared chalk, using the same 
kind of sawdust as the wood you wish to 
stop up the cracks, ®r stain the cement by 
mixing red sanders stain for mahogany, 
brown umber for black walnut, dropblack for 
ebony, or any stain that will resemble the 
wood. 

To Do Up an Old Sewing Machine. 

1st. With benzine or naptha wash off 
every particle of oil or grease from the ma- 
chine, castings and wood work, 

2d. Now varnish the castings (legs) with 
asphaltum varnish made to the right consist- 
ency with turpentine ; this is cheap for the 
legs, but varnish the machine with either of 
the other black varnishes for iron, and when 
dry make your gilding designs according to 
fancy, with a mixture of gold bronze and 
thin shellac varnish (if you understand gild- 
ing with gold leaf all the better), and when 
dry, varnish with furniture varnish. 



15 

3d. For the cabinet work scrape out all 
dents, flaws, or marks of all kinds ; then oil 
with raw linseed oil. A little red sanders 
stain in thin spirit varnish will make even 
black walnut appear fresher, but if you want 
to turn it to a mahogany use more red San- 
ders stain ; but for a perfect walnut rub over 
a stain of asphaltum varnish thinned with 
turpentine. Carved work as well as turned 
work can be varnished, the varnish stained 
to match the other parts. 

How to Do Up Old Furniture. 

As this book will be placed in the hands of 
the inexperienced I can not give too much 
instruction ; and if you will follow these in- 
structions, little or no trouble will occur. 
There are many grades of furniture, and I 
will explain how to treat each grade sepa- 
rately : 

Old Chairs — Are the best for a young 
beginner to commence with, or anything that 
has not a large surface. 1st. If the chair 
be coated with grease, wash it off with soap 
and water. 2d. If the varnish has been 
scaled off, sand paper the chairs until the 
scales are even ; I do not mean to remove 
all the varnish. 3d. Now mix asphaltum. 
varnish and red sanders stain until it is just 
dark enough to hide all scratches, or as much 



16 

darker as you please. Then when dry var- 
nish with any quality of furniture varnish : 
but cabinet makers mostly use (cheap var- 
nish for furniture) turpentine and rosin var- 
nish, since shellac and other varnishes are 
more expensive. 

Wash Stands. — The varnish generally 
washes off with the soap and water ; give 
these a good washing, and when dry treat 
the same as the chairs, only in varnishing 
large surfaces, such as the top, you h-^ve to 
be more careful and not have the varnish 
too thick, or it will not flow smooth. Never 
varnish in a cold room. 

Tables. — All large surfaces that have a 
very smooth shine should be sand papered 
with the grain, placing the paper around a 
flat block of wood ; this is done only when 
the varnish is rubbed or scratched oS' in 
places to make the surface level as possible; 
and also by sand papering off the fine glossy 
surface the stain will take more evenly. 
The same rule is for all furniture , but for 
pianos I would not recommend you to un- 
dertake, until you have dressed up all your 
other things, or had practice in flowing the 
varnish. 

Over Old Paint.— If the painting and 
graining is not scaled or worn off, just wash 



17 

the paint to remove all grease or loose dirt ; 
then, with red sanders stain alone, made 
strong or weaK as may be desired, or asphal- 
tum varnish and red sanders stain diluted 
with turpentine until it is not too thick to 
hide the graining, you can stain the paint to 
many different and handsome shades with- 
out damaging or hiding the graining, re- 
membering asphaltum darkens, red sanders 
reddens and turpentine renders the whole 
lighter. Red sanders will turn any paint 
that has been done with asphaltum varnish 
to a rosewood shade if made strong enough; 
after staining, varnish ; and, after a little 
practice, you may unite these stains with 
the varnish and do all at the one time, var- 
nish and stain. 

Old Paint that is Scaled Off.— First thor- 
oughly sand paper in order to level the 
scales then with a finer paper ; then, for 
rosewood, stain — -first with strong red san- 
ders, and then with asphaltum varnish, and 
before the asphaltum varnish hardens, if you 
can do graining, grain it ; but if not, comb 
it ; then, when thoroughly dry, go over it 
again with red sanders stain, made strong 
enough to remove the asphaltum appearance 
and cause it to resemble rich rosewood. 

Coffins, new or damaged, may be treated 



18 

in the same way, and in fact most every 
thing ; and if the gloss is rubbed off with 
jBne sand paper so the stain will adhere to 
the surface, asphaltum varnish and red San- 
ders can be made to quite a number of 
shades ; and these stains will not fade and 
are much smoother, clearer and richer than 
Venetian red, and retain their color better, 
and do not change. 

Again, I must impress on the minds of 
young beginners to try on something else 
before you go ahead. At the same time re- 
member not to act ridiculous by trying to 
have every dirty, old, rough piece of wood 
you may come across appear to your satis*< 
faction. Common sense is required ; and 
you must sand paper and render everything 
smooth before you stain or varnish it, or the 
stain will enter into the rough parts, such as 
saw cuts, &c. 

Remarks on Filling the Grain of Wood. 

This calls forth arguments which are of no 
value, hence I will only make suggestions, as 
most men say they have something better 
than the other, I only fill cheap work my- 
self before varnishing. I have done this by 
sprinkling linseed oil on the surface with my 
fingers then dusted whiting with um.ber, Ve- 
netian red, Vandyke brown^ crome yellow or 



19 

whatever coloring is nearest the wood and 
rub this well in. I sometimes use plaster 
paris, shellac or rosin. I think a good way 
is to first rub in whiting with any coloring 
matter to suit, then flow it over with rosin 
dissolved in turpentine and when dry rub 
down with a piece of cork covered with can- 
vass and powdered pomice stone. But I do 
not have any pretentions of extra knowledge 
as to what to fill with, as I have not filled 
the grain only with varnish these many years 
because I always want my work to stand. 
Those ^ho are not experienced will not make 
new furniture and the grain of the old furn- 
iture has already been filled when new. 

Oak for Painters, 
Sienna one pound, burnt umber one forth 
pound, beeswax three ounces, boiled linseed 
oil one pint, turpentine half pint, Japan 
dryer four ounces; slice the beeswax, melt 
all together and when cold thin with equal 
parts of oil and turpentine. For English 
oak use more burnt sienna ; this, of course 
hides the grain. 

Rudiments of Coloring and Shading, 
This may be of service to the new be- 

giner. 
To Imitate Mahogany.— Mix lidit red with 

burnt umber. Shadow with burnt umber. 



20 

Rose Wood. — Mix lake and lampblack, 
shadow with a strong tint of the same when 
wet. 

Satin WooD.-~-Use yellow ochre, shadow 
with Vandyke brown. 

Bronze. — Mix Prusian blue, gamboge 
and burnt umber, shadow with Vandyke and 
indigo mixed. 

Brass. — Use gamboge, shadow with burnt 
terra de sienna and stipple with burnt um- 
ber. Inlaid brass or buhl ornaments may 
be laid on afterwards with a body color made 
of gamboge and whiting. 

Ormola, — Mix king's yellow and Indian 
yellow. 

Velvet. — Mix carmine and Indian red. 

Green Baize. — Mix indigo and gamboge, 
for chair seats use vermilion. 

Glass. — Mix lampblack and indigo, 
shadov,^ with the same. 

PoRPHYRA Marble. — Mix lake, Venetian 
red, and ivory black, then speckle with 
constant white and with lampblack. 

Verb Antique. — Mix indigo and Roman 
ochre, aftervfard lay on light and dark 
green spots. 



21 

Sienna Marble.— Mix raw terra de 
sienna and burnt umber, vein it with burnt 
uraber alone. 

MoNA Marble. — Mix indigo, Venetian 
red and lake vein with dark green. 

Black Marble — Mix indigo and mad- 
der-brown with lampblack. 

White Drapery.— Shade with a mixture 
of Indian ink and indigo. 

Buff Colored Drapery. — Mix gamboge 
and Roman ochre, or gamboge and a little 
lake. Shadow with the same darker; for the 
more intense shadows, mix gamboge and 
burnt umber. 

Chintz. — Shade with a mixture of lake 
and gamboge. 

Crimson Curtains. — Color with red lead 
and a little lake. 

Gilt Poles. — Color as for ormolu and 
shadow with burnt umber and gamboge com- 
bined, or with burnt umber and lakt, and 
sometimes with a mixture of lake and gam- 
boge. 

Now, as landscapes a.re sometimes seen 
through the apertures of windows, when a 
view of the room is taken, we shall state 
what is considered to be the best and sim- 



22 

plest process : After the view is pencilled 
outj begin the sky; for this, use a mixture 
of Prussian blue and a little lake; begin at 
the top of the picture, and soften it down- 
wards, but at the horizon add a little Vene- 
tian red. The clouds are next to be worked 
in with a compound oi Venetian red and in- 
digo and a little gamboge ; next with the 
sky color and a little Venetian red added, 
cover the whole of the ground, beginning at 
the front, and thinning it toward the hori- 
zon; but observe not to go over the rivers 
or pieces of water. Distant mountains are 
colored with indigo and Indian lake; near 
mountains with indigo, lake and burnt terra 
di sienna. Distant parts of the grass are 
made with indigo, yellow ocher and lake ; 
near grass is made with burnt sienna, Italian 
pink and indigo. Dark touches on the 
foreground are of Vandyke brown, indigo 
and burnt terra di sienna; intensely dark 
touches, of lampblack and burnt umber. 
Distant trees are worked with indigo, lake 
and gamboge, shaded with the same color, 
made darkei ; near trees are colored with 
burnt sienna, gamboge and indigo, deepened 
to Hoards the shaded side. 

This is all that is required to be known in 
the branch of shadowing, and is a complete 
and valueble, though concise, process for 



23 

painting and shading cabinet furniture land- 
scapes, &c. 

Spirit Varnish. 

Half pound gum shellac, half pound rosin, 
dissolved in one pint of good alcohol. To 
make this cheaper, use more rosin and less 
shellac. 

White Spirit Varnish. — White shellac 
one pound, alcohol one pint. This is for 
varnishing over colors that must be kept 
clear, as orange shellac has a yellow caste, 
and would turn many delicate shades to a 
yellow tinge. 

Copal Varnish. — Alcohol one pint, gum 
copal half an ounce, gum shellac one- quarter 
ounce. Reduce the gums to powder and 
dissolve them in the alcohol. Shake it often. 

Varnish for Violins. — One pint of good 
alcohol, one and a half ounces of gum mas- 
tic, and one-third of a gill of turpentine 
varnish ; while dissolving keep it in a warm 
place in a tin can ; shake frequently ; when 
dissolved, if too hard, add more turpentine. 

Seed Lac VARNiSH.-Dissolve three ounces 
of seed lac and three ounces of rosin in suf- 
ficiently good alcohol to dissolve it ; thin this 
with alcohol when required. 



24 

Black Varnish fok Iron or Metal. — 
Asphaltum three ounces, boiled oil four 
quarts, burnt umber eight ounces ; dissolve 
by heat, and whilo cooling thin with turpen- 
tine. 

Again : Amber twelve ounces, as- 
phaltum two ounces ; dissolve by heat ; 
when dissolved, add boiled oil half pint, rosin 
two ounces, and while cooling add sixteen 
ounces of oil of turpentine. 

Very Cheap Black Varnish for Iron. 
— Asphaltum and turpentine dissolved by 
heat. 

White Varnish for Wood, Paper or 
Linen. — Sandarac eight ounces, mastic two 
ounces, Canada balsam four ounces, alcohol 
one quart. 

Goon White Hard Varnish.— One quart 
good alcohol, ten ounces gum sandarac, two 
ounces gum mastic, half an ounce of gum 
anime; dissolve in a clean can or bottle by 
shaking often till dissolved, and strain. 

White Hard Varnish — Dissolve gum 
anime in nut oil, boil it gently as the gum is 
added, giving it as much gum as the oil will 
take up, and while cooling dilute it with 
pure turpentine ; this will do for the ground. 



25 

as also for the japanning for white ; it takes 
some time to harden, but it is durable. 

Cheap Oil Varnish. — Boil one pint of 
good linseed oil an hour, then add one-quar* 
ter pound of rosin, stir it well till dissolved, 
add one ounce spirits turpentine, strain and 
bottle for use: this varnish will stand hot 
water. 

Varnish for Pictures that will Make 
THE Light Reflect More Uniformly — 
Gum copal dissolved in linseed oil, rendered 
dry by adding quick lime, a little less than 
will decompose or boil the oil ; this will do 
to varnish over any colors by adding a little 
turpentine ; this makes a good preservative 
for pictures and renders the surface capable 
of reflecting the light more uniformly. 

Cheap Varnish for Furniture. — Dis- 
solve six pounds of rosin in one gallon of 
good turpentine, put the turpentine and 
rosin together into a vessel, then put the 
vessel into a pot of boiling water ; this 
keeps it from danger of taking fire, and it 
will dissolve quicker by heat; stir it and it 
will soon dissolve. Cabinet Makers use this 
varnish, since shellac is so expensive. 

Varnish for Oil Paintings and Chromos. 
Alcohol half pint, dextine one pint, water 



26 

three pints ; first prepare the picture by 
giving it two or three coats of thin starch 
or rice boiled in water, not too thick, strained 
through a cloth. 

To Make Asphaltum Varnish. — Dis- 
solve asphaltum gum in turpentine by heat. 
Benzine is often used in this to thin it 
before using. 

Sealing Wax Varnish for Japanning. 

Reduce the wax to a pow^der and put it 
into good alcohol, in a bottle ; shake it often 
until dissolved. A two ounce stick will be 
enough for a quarter of a pint of alcohol. 
Much depends on the quality of the wax, 
and you can vary the color by using differ- 
ent colored wax. 

Mastic Varnish for Pictures, Drawings, Etc. 

To one pint spirits turpentine put twelve 
ounces of the cleanest gum mastic and shake 
it very often till dissolved, then strain and 
it is ready for use. If too thick thin Avith 
turpentine. 

Varnish for Drawings or any kind of Paper or 
Card Work. 

Boil clear parchment cuttings in water 
in a clean glazed pipkin till they produce a 
clean size. Give two coats, and pass the 



27 

brush over delicate colors quick so as not to 
disturb the delicacy. 

Varnish for Drawings, Paper or Card Work. 
Dissolve one ounce of best isinglass in 
about one pint of water and simmer it over 
the fire, then strain through a muslin and 
keep for use. Try the size on a piece of 
paper moderately warm; if it glistens it is 
too thick, add more water ; if it soaks into 
the paper it is too thin, add or diminish the 
isinglass till it merely dulls the surface, 
then give your drawing two or three coats 
letting it dry between each, be careful (par- 
ticularly in first coat) to bear very lightly on 
the brushy which should be flat and of Cam- 
el's hair. Then take your mastic varnish 
and give it at least three coats and it will 
answer your most sanguine wishes. Nothing 
will equal this if well done. 

Amber Varnish. — To eight pounds of am- 
ber in powder add two of gum lac, melt the 
amber in a glazed pipkin with half a pint of 
best spirits of turpentine, and when melted 
add the gum lac; place it again on the fire 
and continue stirring it vdth a bit of stick 
till dissolved, then add an ounce of the best 
cold drawn linseed oil; stir well and strain. 

Colorless Copal Varnish. — As all copal 
is not fit for the purpose, to ascertain such 



28 

pieces as are fit, a single drop of pure es- 
sence of rosemary must be let drop on each 
piece, and those pieces that soften when the 
rosemary drops are good. Reduce these to 
powder and sift through a fine sieve, then 
place them in a pan and not have the gum 
more than half an inch thich ai the bottom, 
then just cover it with oil rosemary; stir this 
a few minutes when the copal will dissolve 
into a viscous fluid. Let it stand for two 
hours, then pour in it two or three drops of 
very pure alcohol, which distributes over the 
oily mass by clinging to the bottle in differ- 
ent directions with a very gentle motion; re- 
peat this operation by little and little till 
the incorporation is effected and the varnish 
brought to a proper degree of fluidity, then 
let it stand a few days and when clear bot- 
tle it for use ; this is made without heat. 
This varnish will do for pasteboard, wood, 
metals and paintings and is a very superior 
varnish. 

Turpentine Copal Varnish.— To two 
ounces gum copal add eight ounces best oil 
turpentine; put the turpentine into a vessel, 
then the vessel into boiling water; when the 
turpentine is very hot very gradually add 
the gum copal and stir, adding fresh gum as 
fast as it will dissolve ; let it settle for a few 
days and strain. In making the varnish it 



29 

frequently happens that the gum will not 
melt as readily as it ought, owing to the tur- 
pentine not being sufficiently rectified. When 
the turpentine is good it will always succeed. 

Remarks on Varnishes. — Never let any 
gums remain any length of time without 
shaking or stirring or you will have trouble 
to get them dissolved as they will settle at 
the bottom into a cake. When you dissolve 
gums or rosin in turpentine (to save all 
danger from fire) put the turpentine and 
gums or rosin together into a vessel, then 
place this vessel into another larger vessel 
of hot water, and you may boil the water 
while you stir the material till it is di s- 
solved; by this method your turpentine is 
made hot and your gums or rosin dissolved 
quicker. If the varnishes are too thick add 
more of the same kind of liquid with which 
the varnish is made; if too thin, more of the 
gums or rosin as directed in the making of 
each kind of varnish. If the varnish leaves 
brush marks it is too thick: if it does not 
leave a shining body it is too thin. Place 
the varnish in a warm place and it will work 
better with the cold chill off of it. Don't 
stroke your varnish too often in one place, 
but flow it on : practice on such as chairs or 
anything that has not a large flat surface 
till you get in the way. Some try to use a 



30 

rag with varnish who know no better ; when 
you use varnish use a brush and when you 
use polish then use a rag as directed. Re- 
member as I have told you, polishing re- 
quires practice, but to varnish old furniture 
is soon attainable, as the grain of the wood 
has been filled when new by the cabinet 
maker. 

Method of Applying Bronze. 

Go over the parts you intend to bronze 
with gold size or varnish and w^hen it is suf- 
ficiently dry or when it does not adhere to 
the finger, but feels clammy, dip a piece of 
cotton rolled into a hard ball into the bronze 
and rub on the place to be bronzed. 

To Make Gold Bronze Powder. 

Put a quantity of gold leaf into a stone 
mortar together with a small portion of 
honey and a little water; grind them, well 
together till the gold seems dispersed through 
the whole paste, add by degrees more water 
till it is quite thin, keeping it constantly 
stirred, then let it settle and gently pour off 
the water as near as you can without wast- 
ing the gold ; repeat the washing till you 
see the gold in the form of powder at the bot- 
tom, then pour the water clean off and turn 
the gold out on a piece of blotting paper, 
keep it from the dust and when dry keep it 



31 

in a bottle for use. This is very expensive 
and used only for very particular work. 

Imitation Gold Bronze Powder. 

A very good substitute can be made by 
treating Dutch metal in the same manner 
as the gold leaf but you must keep it closely 
stopped or it will tarnish. 

Silver Bronze Po^vder 

Can be made with silver leaf treated in 
the same manner as gold leaf, but this must 
be well stopped and with paper wrapped 
around it, as it is apt to change color as 
Dutch metal. 

Copper or Brass Bronze Povtrder. 

Put very fine filings of copper into an 
iron mortar and beat them thoroughly, but 
instead of using honey, pound it dry with 
a portion of salamoniac then vvash it as the 
above. Keep this also from the air. Brass 
filings may be treated in the same manner. 

Tin Bronze Powder. 

Melt grain tin over a fire in a ladle when 
in a fluid state, add by degrees quicksilver 
and stir it w^ell. It will be transferred into 
a greyish powder which for the sake of va- 
riety you may use with others or alone. 



32 
Remarks on Mixing Bronze Powders. 

By mixing different bronzes together you 
may produce a great variety that will add 
much to the beauty of the work. There is a 
variety of colors in gold leaf, all of which 
will produce 'a different color bronze, but 
we have set down those that are generally 
used. 

To Bronze Brass Figures or Ornaments. 

After having lackered your brass work, 
in those places you wish to look like gold 
take for those parts as are intended to ap- 
pear as bronze, of umber (burnt or not 
burnt), according to the color you wish, and 
grind it with a small quantity of alcohol, do 
the same with verditer, and also spruce ocre. 
Keep these colors separate for use, and when 
wanted, take some pale gold lacker and mix 
with it a portion of these ingrediences till 
you get the color desired . Then apply the 
mixture in the same manner as directed in 
lackering brass work. You may also mix 
with it anv colored bronze powder for the 
sake of variety, and a little experience will 
enable you to imitate any bronze or color 
you please. 

To Bronze any Figures, 

After the figure has been sized and rubbed 
down, take Prussian blue, verditer, and 



33 

spruce ochre, grind them aeparately iu water, 
turpentine or oil, according to the work, mix 
them together in such proportions as will 
produce the color desired. Then grind dutch 
mictal (commonly called bronze), in the 
same material you grind your color, lay this 
on the prominent parts of the figure, and if 
done with care it will produce a grand ef- 
fect. There are several different colored 
bronzes, which can be purchased at the 
color shops if you do not wish to make them, 
and it is cheaper to purchase if you only- 
want it in small quantities. 

To Bronze "Wood. 

Having stained the parts to be bronzed 
black, takojapaner's gold size and mix with 
a small portion of Roman ochre and Prussian 
blue, go over the black part lightly, then let 
It dry till it feels just sticky to the fin/^ers, 
but not come off, then with a hard ball of 
cotton dipped in any of the bronze powders 
and rub those places, and if you think proper 
give It a thin coat of japaner's gold size, 
then with spirits of turpentine. You may 
alter the color of your bronze by mixing 
either more or less blue as also other colors 
or verditer green by itself, but do not put 
your colors on thick over the black stain, but 
rather glaze it on, as it is not wanted in a 



34 

body, but should be rather transparent, as 
this will make it more of a metalic appear- 
ance. 

Pale Gold Lacker. 

Dissolve in a quart of good alcohol as much 
gamboge as will give a high yellow, then add 
three ounces of seed lack (well powdered 
and sifted), shake often and dissolve. 

To Lacker with Turpentine. 

Take seed lack, two ounces ; sandarac or 
mastic, two ounces, dragon's blood, (pound- 
ed), quarter of an ounce ; gumgutta, twenty 
grains ; clear turpentine, one ounce ; and the 
best spirits turpentine, sixteen ounces. This 
lacker is not equal to that made with alco- 
hol. It does not dry so quick, nor is it so 
durable. All colors that will give out their 
coloring with alcohol can be used in lacker- 
ing and can be mixed with the compositions 
used for the bodies of all lackers, such as 
seed lac. shellac, etc. 

To Clean Old Brass for Lackering. 

Make a strong ley of wood ashes, which 
may be strengthened with soap, put in 
your brass and the lacker will soon come off. 
Then have ready a mixture of aquafortis 
and water, sufficiently strong to take off the 



85 

dirt, wash it afterward in clean water and it 
is ready for lackering. 

How to Lacker Brass. 
If the brass is old, clean it as in the di- 
rections, but if it is new free it from dust 
and rub it with a piece of wash leather, make 
It bright as possible, put your work on a 
hot plate or before a fire as a substitute till 
it is moderately heated, not too hot or it will 
blister the lacker, then, according to the 
color you want, take the following prepar- 
ations and make it warm, lay hold of your 
work with a pair of pliers, and with a soft 
brush apply the lacker; be careful not to rub 
It on, but stroke it one way and place it 
again to the fire, but do not let it remain too 
long, only till the varnish is hard. Perhaps 
It is better not to give it the second heat 
till you gain experience. If it is not covered 
go over the work again and it will look like 
new. 

Gold Lacker. 
One and one-half ounces gum turmeric, 
one and one-half drachms gamboge, five and 
one-quarter ounces gum sandarac, one and 
one-quarter ounces shellac, one quart of 
good alcohol. When thoroughly dissolved, 
strain and add one ounce turpentine well 
mixed. 



86 

Again — (Deep Gold Lacker). — Seed lack 
three ounces, turmeric one ounce, dragon's 
blood ground) one-fourth ounce, alcohol one 
pint; shake occasionally, and in one week 
strain through a piece of silk. 

Gold Lacker for Brass. 

Alcohol, half pint; half pound of 
seed lack, picked clean and clear of all pieces 
(the beauty of the lacker depends on this), 
put the seed lack into the alcohol, shake it 
very often and keep it in a warm place till 
dissolved^ and it is ready for use. 

Superior Lacker for Brass. 

Seed lack, three ounces ; amber or copal 
(thoroughly ground), one ounce ; dragon's 
blood, thirty-five grains (well bruised); 
oriental saffron, eighteen grains; very pure 
alcohol, twenty ounces. To apply this 
lacker to ornaments or brass, expose them to ^ 
heat and dip them into the lacker. Two or i 
three coatings may be applied in this man- ^ 
ner if necessary. This lacker is durable I 
and of a beautiful color. Articles done in 
this manner can be cleaned with water, theii 
with a rag. 

To Gild Metal by Dissolving Gold in Aqua 
Rcgia. 
Dissolve gold in aqua regia, and into the 



37 

solution dip linen rags, take them out and 
dry them gently, then burn them to tinder ; 
after you have thoroughly polished your 
work. Then take a cork and, dipping it 
into common salt and afterward into the 
tinder, rub your work well, and its surface 
will be gilt. Aqua regia is compounded of 
two parts of nitric acid (aquafortis) and one 
part muriatic acid (spirits of salts) mixed. 

Superior English Dryers can not be beat 
for Pjiintsor Varnishes. — Linseed oil one gal- 
lon ; put into the oil three (fuarters of a pound 
of gum shellac, half pound litharge,half pound 
burnt turkey umber, half pound red lead, 
and six ounces of sugar of lead. Boil the 
oil until all is dissolved, which occurs in 
about four hours ; then remove from the fire 
and when it is cooled a little add one gnllon 
of spirits of turpentine and it is ready for 
use. Remem.ber to keep all well stirred. 
Cabinet makers and painters will find this 
indispensable. 

English Lacker for Drying Paint.— To 
one and a half gallons of linseed oil add 
two pounds of litharo;e, one and a half 
pounds of red lead, half a pound of umber; 
boil for five hours. To ascertain when this 
is ready : drop a portion of it on a piece of 
glass and cool it in water, and if it gets 



38 

hard so that it can not be rubbed off with 
the thumb it will do ; and when it becomes 
moderately warm, put into it one and a half 
gallons of spirits of turpentine first, then 
try it on a piece of glass sideways, and if 
it does not run, add more turpentine until it 
docs. This is far superior to the American 
Eastern lacker for drying paint. 

English Boiled Oil. — To one gallon ol lin- 
seed oil add one-fourth pound red lead, one- 
fourth pound litharge, half pound rosin, one- 
fourth pound umb'er, cand just before it comes 
to a boil put in one-fourth pound sugar of 
lead and boil for four hours. When this is 
ready it will scorch a feather. Be careful, 
when adding sugar of lead, it does not boil 
over. Always, in making varnishes or any 
mixtures by heat, have a large vessel. The 
above Avill pay well. Give it a trial, and 
carriage manufacturers need not be troubled 
with cracked varnished, if this oil is used. 

American Boiled Oil. — To one gallon of 
linseed oil add eight ounces rosin, twelve 
ounces litharge, three ounces sulphurate of 
zinc ; boil three hours. 

To Dissolve Shellac. — Painters can dis- 
solve shellac w^th borax and ammonia. 

Gold Size.—Grind fine salimoniac with 



39 

a muller and stone ; scrape into it a little 
beef suit, and grind all thoroughly together, 
after which mix in, with a pallet knife, a 
small proportion of parchment size with a 
double proportion of water. 

- Another Gold Size.— Grind a lump of to- 
bacco pipe clay into a very stiff paste with 
thin size ; add a small quantity of ruddle 
and fine black lead ground very fine, and 
temper the whole with a little piece of tal- 
low. 

A Varnish which will Suit all Sorts of 
Prints, Pictures, Maps, Cuts. Bears wash» 
ing and is as Shiny as Glass.— Mix one 
quarter of a pound of Venice turpentine with 
a gill of alcohol; if too thick, more alcohol; if 
too thin, more Venice turpentine so as to 
bring it to the consistency of milk. Lay 
one coat of this on the face of the print and 
when it is dry it will shine like glass. If it 
is not to your liking give it another coat. 

To Make Appear in Gold the Figures of 
a Print. — After having given on both sides 
of the print one coat of the above varnish 
in order to make it transparent, let it dry a 
little while, till it is just sticky, then lay 
some gold in leaves on the back side of the 
print pressing it on gently with the cloth 
you hold in your hand. By this means all 



40 

places whereon you yhall lay the leaves will 
appear like true massive gold on the right 
side ; when this is all thoroughly dry, 
lay on the right side of it one coat of varnish 
(same as before), and it will be then as good 
as any crown gl^Css. You may also put a 
pasteboard behind the print to support it 
better in the frame. 

How to Improve the Quality of Turpentine 
for Particular purposes. — Expose the tur- 
pentine in a can or bottle to the heat of the 
sun and the watery particles will be gradu- 
ally dissipated ; the bottle or can should not 
be corked quite tight. 

To Solder or Weld Tortoise Shell or Horn. 
- — Provide yourself with a pair of pincers 
or tongs so constructed that you can reach 
four inches beyond the rivet ; then file the 
tortoise shell carefully to a lap joint; ob- 
serve that there is no grease about it ; wet 
the joint with water, apply the pincers fol- 
lowing them with water and the shell will 
join as if it were one piece. 

To Polish Brass Inlaid in Wood. 

If the brass is very dull file it with a 
small, fine file or sandpaper, then rub well 
with Tripoli and a piece of felt dipped in raw 
linseed oiL 



41 

To Beautify or Crystalize Glass. 

Spread on a plate of glass a few drops of 
nitrate of silver previously distilled Avitli 
double tlie quantity of rain water; place at 
the bottom of it flat upon the glass and in 
connection with tlie fluid a piece of copper or 
zinc Avire bent to any shape, and set the 
whole in a horizontal position undisturbed 
and in a few hours a brilliant crystalization 
of metalic silver will appear around the wire 
upon the glass and the arrangement of crys- 
tal will extend gradually till the whole of 
the fluid acts upon the wire. 

Cement for Turners. 

Melt together beeswax one ounce, rosin 
half an ounce and pitch half an ounce, stir in- 
to this some fine brick dust to give it a 
body, if too soft add more rosin and if too 
hard, more wax ; when cold make it up in 
cakes for use. This will be found very 
useful to fasten pieces of wood on the chuck 
which is done by applying your roll of ce- 
ment to the chuck and it will adhere with 
sufficient force. 

Cement for Broken Glass. 

Steep one ounce of isinglass in half pint 
of alcohol for twenty-four hours, then let it 
dissolve over a glow fire (keep it corked), 



42 

now well bruise six cloves of garlic in a mor- 
tar, put them in a linen cloth and squeeze 
the juice into the isinglass, mix all w^ell to- 
gether and bottle for use. This is excellent 
to join ornaments. 

Cement for China that will Stand Fire 
or Water. 

Beat the wdiite of eggs Avell to a froth, let 
them settle, add soft grated cheese and 
quicklime (enough of each to make it into 
a soft paste), heat them well together and 
apply a little to the broken edges wdiich 
must be free from grease or dirt. 

Stieli Cement for Glass or China. 

Pound half an ounce of rosin and four 
ounces of gum mastic, put them into a pip- 
kin on the fire to melt, stir them w^ell, to 
this add about half an ounce of finely pow- 
dered glass and half an ounce of quicklime; 
stir the whole well too-ether and when nearly 
cold form it into sticks by rolling it on a 
stone as stick sealing w^ax, only smaller, 
heat the broken edges sufficient to melt the 
cement, rub thinly the edges and press well 
till cool. If this be carefully done it will 
sooner break anywhere else, so don't blame 
the cement, but yourself. 



43 - - 

To Silver Qlass G-lobes. 

Take four ounces of quicksilver to which 
put as much tinfoil as to become barely fluid 
when mixed, have the globe clean and warm 
pour in the mixture and turn the globe 'round 
till the silver has touched all over, then pour 
the remainder out. 

Ornamental Japanning for Workboxes, 

Etc., Etc., 

So that the figures appear the color of the 
wood. The following method is good and very 
little known and very correct. Thefollow^ing 
preparation is necessary, and may be termed 
the stoping out mixture. Dissolve the best 
Avhite beeswax in spirits of turpentine till it 
is to the consistency of varnish, keep this in a 
bottle for use, now^ mix for present use as 
much as is necessary with white lead (in 
powder), or flake white to give it a body, but 
not too thick, only so that it fs^ill flow from 
your pencil. Having traced your design, go 
over the parts wdiich you w^ish to remain of 
the color of the wood, and let it dry, then 
mix black lead (in fine pow^der), wdth parch- 
ment or isinglass size and go evenly and 
smoothly over every part of the work, it will 
now appear wholly black or of whatever 
color you have mixed with the size. Let the 
whole get thoroughly dry, then with a stiff 



44 

brush dipped in plain spirits of turpentine, 
rub the whole of the work well and those 
parts that have been gone over with the 
stoping out mixture will come off, leaving 
the black or the colors perfect. It will then 
appear as if you had pricked in your work, 
but much more sharp and will have a beauti- 
ful eifectj and nothing is to be done but 
varnished. To finish your work in the manner 
of Indian Japan, you must not be sparing 
with your varnish. 

To Polish Brass Inlaid in ¥/ood. 

The brass m.ust be filed very even with 
the wood and smoothed with a very fine file, 
then having mixed some Tripoli pow^dcr 
w^ith raw linseed oil, with'a rubber of felt or 
old hat polish the work by w^ell rubbing until 
the desired effect is produced. If the work 
be ebony or dark rosewood, take some very 
finely powdered charcoal and apply it dry, 
after you have finished with the tripoli. This 
w^ill increase the beauty of the polish. 

To Polish Ivory. 

If ivory be polished with putty powder 
and w^ater, by rubbing it with a piece of felt 
or old hat it will in a short time produce a 
fine gloss. 

To Polish the ^work of Pearl. 

Rub the work with finely powdered 



45 

pomice stone (first washed to separate the 
dirt), with vfhich you may polish it very 
smooth; then apply putty powder as for 
ivory. This will produce a fine polish and 
a good color. 

To Polish Mp.rble. 

If the marble be scratched, have a piece 
of sandstone with a fine grit, rub the face 
of the marble backward and forward, using 
very fine sand and water till the marble ap- 
pears equally rough and not in scratches. 
Next use a finer stone and finer sand till the 
face appears equally gone over; then with 
fine emory powder and a piece of felt or old 
hat wrapped around a weight, rub it till all 
the marks left by the powder process are 
worked out, and it vvill appear with a com- 
parative gloss on the surface. Aftcrvvaid, 
finish the polish Avith putty powder and a 
fine clean rag. As soon as the face presents 
a fine gloss, do not put any more powder on 
the rag, but rub it Avell, and in a short time 
it will appear as when fresh out of the ma- 
son's hands. 

To Make Tirinsparent Tracing Paper. 

Dissolve a piece of white wax about the 
size of a walnut in a half pint of spirits of 
turpentine; procure very fine white woven 
tissue paper : lay it on a clean bocU'd, and; 



46 

with a soft brush dipped in this liquid, go 
over one side, and then turn it over and 
apply it to the other side ; hang it up in a 
clean place to dry, free from dirt. It will 
be ready for use in a few days. You may 
use a little rosin, or you may use rosin alto- 
gether instead of wax. 

Body Varnish for Coach Makers. 

Eight pounds of fine gum anime, two gal- 
lons of clarified oil, three gallons of good 
turpentine, boil slowly for four hours ; drop- 
black mixed makes the best black. 

Mahogony Colored Cement. 

Melt two ounces beeswax and half an 

ounce of rosin together then add half an 

ounce of Indian red and a small quantity of 

yellow ochre. Keep this in a pipkin for 

use. 

Portable Grlue for Mending Paper, Notes, 
Etc., Etc. 

Boil one pound of best glue, strain it very 
clean, boil also four ounces of isinglass, 
put it into a double gluepot with half a 
pound of fine brown sugar and boil it pretty 
thick, then either pour it into moulds or in- 
to plates, and when cold, you may cut it in- 
to squares for the pocket. This glue can be 
immediately diluted in warm water, therefore 
it is very useful for draughtsmen and archi- 



47 

tects, and by moistening it in the mouth, 
you can rub the edges of bank notes 
or paper of any kind and mend them. It 
also does for sealing envelopes. Better 
wrap the square of glue in a bit of tinfoil 
for the pocket and damp one end. If the 
edges of notes are placed neatly together 
you can not detect that they have been torn. 

Strong Glue for Veneering. 

Get the best glue of rather a light color, 
free from cloud and streaks, dissolve this in 
water and to every pint add half a gill of 
best vinegar and half an ounce of isinglass. 

Glue for Inlaying Brass or Silver. 

Melt your glue as usual and to every pint 
add of finely powdered rosin and finely pow- 
dered brick dust of each, two spoonfulls, well 
corporate together and it will hold the metal 
much faster than fine glue. 

Glue that Never Separates. 

One pound of good glue, one half ounce 
of whiting, one fourth ounce of powder 
white lead, disolve glue in water as usual, 
then add the whiting and when well mixed 
put in the lead and well stir, used warm. 

Glue that "will Resist Moisture. 
Dissolve gum mastic and sandarac of each 



48 

a quarter ounce in a quarter pint of good 
alcohol, to which add a quarter ounce of 
clear turpentine, now take strong glue 
ready dissolved, put the gum into a 
double gluepot, and add by degrees the glue, 
constantly stirring it over "the fire till the 
whole is well incorporated, strain it through 
a cloth and it is ready for use, return it to 
the gluepot and add half an ounce of very 
finely powdered glass, use it quite warm. 

Another G-liie for Standing "Water. 

To two quarts of skim milk add half 
pound of best glue, melt them together, mind 
it don't boil over, and you have a very strong 
glue which will resist damp or moisture. 

To Raise Blistered Veneer. 

First wash the surface with boiling water 
and with a coarse cloth remove all dirt or 
grease, then place it before the fire or heat 
it with a piece of hot iron, oil the surface 
with pure raw linseed oil, heat it again, the heat 
will cause the oil to penetrate quite through 
the veneer and soften the glue underneath 
and while hot raise the edge with a chissel 
carefully. Again, if it should get cold, ap- 
ply more oil and heat, repeat till it is en- 
tirely separated then wash off the old glue 
and relay as new veneer. 



49 
Imitation of Inlaying of Silver. 
Take any quantity of the purest and best 
grain tin, melt it in a ladle, add to it Avhile 
in fusion the purest quicksilver and well 
stir, ^yhen you have added enough it will 
remain a stiff paste, if too soft, add more 
tin, if not sufficient add more quicksilver. 
Grind this composition on a s^ab or in a 
mortar, with a little size, cut your groves in 
your pistols or wood of any kind, and fill 
them as with a piece of pujtty and let it re- 
main some hours when you may polish it off 
with the palm of your hand and it will ap- 
pear as if inlaid with silver. 

Another Method. 
^ Instead of tin you may make a paste of 
silver leaf and quicksilver and proceed as in 
the above. 

For Colored Inlaying*. 
1 ou may for variation in your work rub 
in different colored sealingwax, and heat the 
surface, by holding it to a gentle heat it will 
give it a glossy surface. 

To Clean and Tighten Cane Bottom Chairs. 
First wash the bottom with warm water 
and soap, Then turn up the chair and spono-e 
the under side with hot water and let it dry 
in the air. The cane will tighten as it dries. 



50 

To Remove Stains from Carpets. 

Mix spirits salts with cold ^Yater pretty 
strong, rub the stains and as soon as re- 
moved, sponge vrith more water to kill the 
spirits of salts. 

To Break Glass to any Shape. 

First make a notch with a file then heat a 
piece of iron or stem of a clay tobacco pipe, 
and while the pipe is hot commence at. the 
notch and draw^t alono: the surface in anv 
direction you wish. 

To Cut off Necks of Bottles Evenly. 

First wrap worsted yarn (that has been 
previously soaked in turpentine), around the 
part you wish to cut off, set fire to the yarn 
and when hot a slight tap will cause the sep- 
aration of the bottle. 

To Make Glass Stand Boiling "Water. 

Put glass into cold water and boil it and 
leave the glass in the water till it gets cold 
and after that the glass will stand hot water 
without breaking. 

To Silver Looking Glasses. 

First spread a sheet of tinfoil on a smooth 
table ancl rub mercury over it w^ith a camel- 
hair brush till the two metals incorporate, 
then lay a sheet of well cleaned glass upon 



51 

it with a weight and in a few hours the foil 
will adhere to the glass. Two ounces of 
mercury will be sufficient to cover three feet 
square of glass. 

Buler's Patent Paint. 
One pound of shellac, three pounds rosin, 
one pound sal soda boiled in five gall, rain- 
water and if the shellac does not dissolve, 
add more soda. 

To Mix Shellac with Oil. 
All alkalies will mix shellac with oil. 

To Wash Brass or Copper Figures with 
Silver. 

Take one ounce of aquafortis and dissolve 
in it, over a moderate fire, one drachm of good 
silver, cut very fine ; the silver being Avholly 
dissolved, take it off the fire and put as much 
Avhite tarter as will absorb all the liquid, the 
residue is a paste with which you can rub 
over any brass or copper and which will give 
it the color of silver. 

To Imitate Tortoise Shell on Copper. 
Rub copper laminas over with oil of nuts' 
then dry them over a slow fire, supported by 
their extremities upon small bars of iron. 

To Stain Horn to Imitate Tortoise Shell. 
Mix an equal quantity of quicklime and 



52 

red lead with strong soap ley ; lay it on 
the horn with a small brush in imitation of 
the mottle of tortoise shell ; when dry re- 
peat it two or three times. 

To Soften Ivory. 

Slice half pound mandrake, put into it a 
quart of the best vinegar, into which put the 
Ivory for forty-eight hours in a warm place 
and you can bend it to any shape you wish 

To Bleach Ivory. 

Take a double handfull of lime and slack 
it by sprinkling it with water, then add three 
pints of water, stir well and let it settle, then 
pour Oif the water into a pan for use ; steep 
the ivory for twenty-four hours, after which 
boil the ivory in strong alum water one hour 
and dry it in the air. 

To Stain Ivory or Bone Red. 

Boil small pieces of scarlet cloth in water, 
and add by degrees a little pear ash, 
till the color is extracted, a little roach alum 
now added will clear the color, then strain 
it through a linen cloth. Now steep the ivory 
or bone in aquafortis (nitric acid), diluted 
in twice its quantity of water, then take it 
out and put it into your scarlet dye till the 
color is to your mind. Be careful not to 
have the aquafortis too strong, or let th@ 



53 

ivory stay in too long. Try it first on a 
bit of ivory, and if you observe the acid has 
just caused a trifling roughness on the sur- 
face, take it out immediately and put it into 
the red dye, Tvhich must be warm but not 
too hot. Very little practice will teach you. 
Cover the parts you wish to remain unstained 
with white wax that is melted in a table-- 
spoon or some small vessel; the dye will not 
penetrate through the vrax. Do not make 
the dye hot enough to melt the wax. 

To Stain Ivory or Bone Black. 

Add to any quantity of nitrate of silver, 
(lunar costic), three times its bulk of water 
and steep the ivory or bone in it: take it out 
in about an hour and expose it to sun shine 
or dry and it will be a perfect black. 

To Stain Ivory or Bone Green. 

Steep your work in a solution of verdigris 
and salamoniac in weak aquafortis, in the 
the proportions of two parts of the former to 
one of the latter, being careful to use the 
precautions in staining red. 

To Stain Ivory or Bone Blue. 

First stain the work green according to 
the previous process, then dip it into a strong 
solution of pearlash and water. 



54 

To Stain Ivory or Bone Yellow. 

Put the ivory into a strong solution of 
alum "Nvatcr and keep the whole nearly boil- 
ing some time, then take it out and immerse 
it into a hot mixture of turmeric and water, 
either with or without the addition of french 
berries, let it simmer for about half an hour 
and the ivory will be a beautiful yellow. 
Ivory or bone should dry very gradual or it 
tvill split or crack. 

To Clean Marble, Porphyra or Scagliola. 

Mix the strongest soap ley and quick lime 
to the consistency of milk, spread it on the 
marble and let it stay twenty-four hours ; 
then clean it oif and wash with soap and 
water, and it wdll appear as new. You ca>n 
polish it if you wish with fine putty powder 
and olive oil, but if the marble is very rough 
it must undergo the process as given in pol- 
ishing marble. 

To Polish Horn. 

To polish horn is the same process as to 
polish tortoise shell. 

To Cast Horn to any Shape. 

To one pound of wood ashes, two pounds 
of quick lime put into sufficient water to 
slack the lime, then boil till reduced to one- 
third. When this will take off the plume 



55 

of a feather it has boiled enough. Filter it 
off and into this liquor put shavings of horn 
and let them soak three days. Now rub 
vour hands with sweet oil, and work tlie 
horn into a mass and mould it into the shape 
you want it. 

To Imitate Mother of Pearls. 

Reduce sea shells into a powder and make 
them into a paste with rice flour. 

Chinese Method for Mother of Pearls 

Is made from rice glue, which is nothing 
more than rice ground fine to a palpable 
powder and mixed with cold water, then 
gently boiled; a paste is thus produced which 
may be formed into moulds or figures. 

To Polish Tortoise Shell. 

Scrape the work perfectlj^ smooth and 
level, rub it with fine sandpaper or dutch 
rushes ; repeat the rubbing with a bit of felt 
dipped in very finely ground charcoal and 
water, and lastly with rotten stone or putty 
powder and finish with a soft wash leather 
made damp with a little sweet oil. 

Superior Glass Paper. 

Any quantity of broken window glass 
(that with greenish edge is best), pound it in 
an iron mortar, sift it to different degrees of 



56 

fineness through sieves of difterent sized 
openings ; take any good, tough paper (fine 
cartridge is best), level the knots on both 
sides with a piece of pomieestone, tack it by 
each corner to a smooth board, and Avith 
good, clean glue, diluted with about one-third 
more water than is used generally for wood 
AYork, go quickly over the paper, spreading 
it evenly with a brush; then, having jouv 
sieve ready, sift the glass over it lightly so 
as to cover every part, let it remain until 
the glue sets, skake off' the surplus glass, 
and hang in a shady place to dry. It will 
be ready for use in two or three days. This 
paper is far superior to any you buy, as they 
mix sand colored to deceive the purchaser. 

To Make Anti- Attrition. 
Take one part plumbago or black lead, 
ground fine, and four parts hog's lard, or 
grease, mixed well together. It prevents 
the effects of friction much better than oil 
or other grease, and is very useful to turners, 
as it will be found to make the lathe work 
much easier, as w^ell as being a great saving 
in oil, wdiich, with constant use, grows stiff 
and sensibly, impedes the motion. This 
preparation once applied will last a long 
time without requiring renewal. 

Polish for Turners' Work. 
Dissolve an ounce of sandrack in half a 



57 

pint of alcohol, mixed alone ; beeswax one 
ounce, and dissolve it in good spirits of tur- 
pentine sufficient to make it into a paste. 
Add tlic former mixture to it by degrees ; 
tlien with a woolen rag apply it to the wood 
work while in motion in the lathe, and with 
a soft linen rag polish it, and it will appear 
as if highly varnished. Of course the wood 
must be smooth first. 

To Make Old Silverware Like New in Ap- 
pearance. 
Lay the silver piece by piece upon a clear 
charcoal fire, and when they are just red 
take them off and boil them in tartar and 
w^ater, and the silver will have the sajne ap- 
pearance and beauty as when first new. 

To Make Green Wax. 

One ounce of beeswax^ melt it and add 
half an ounce of verditer ; let the pipkin be 
large enough, for the wax Vv^ill immediately 
boil up; stir it well and add oneeighth of 
an ounce of rosin, and it w^ill be sufficiently 
hard for use. 

To Make Black Wax. 

One ounce of beeswax and half an ounce 
of burgundy pitch, melt them together and 
add one and a half ounces of ivory bhick, 
ground very fine and dry. 



58 
To Make Parchment Transparent. 

Soak a thin skin of parchment in a stronfi; 
ley of wood ashes ; after wringing it out till 
you find it transparent, then strain it out to 
dry. This will be much improved if, after 
it is dry, you give it a coat, on both sides, 
of clear mastic varnish, diluted with spirits 
of turpentine. 

To Darken Red Sanders Stain. 

A little nitric acid will darken it or mu- 
riatic acid will make it still darker ; not too 
much till you see the effect. 

To Test Good Alcohol. 

The most simple method is by immersing 
the finger in it; if it burns quickly out 
without harming the finger, it is good; but 
if it leaves a dampness and is long burning, 
it is not good. It may also be compared 
with other spirits by weight in equal quan- 
tities — the lightest is the best. 

To Test Good Turpentine. 

This also can be told by weight, and the 
most inflammable is the best. One most in 
the habit of using it can tell by the smell. 
A good turpentine has a pungent smell, 
while bad has a disagreeable and not as pow- 
erful an one. 



59 

To Make Composition Ornaments for Picture 
Frames. 

Mix as much whiting as will be required 
for present use with thin glue to the con- 
sistency of putty, having a mold ready, rub 
the mold well over with sweet oil, and press 
the composition into it ; take ix out, and you 
have a good impression. Set this to dry, or 
you can use it at once and bend it to any 
shape. Apply it to your work with thin 
glue. If you have no mold you can make 
one of the composition from any leaf or pat- 
tern you may wish to copy by taking the 
impression and let it-harden. 

Imitation of Seed Pearls. 

Cut silver lace into pieces of various 
lengths, put them into a small crucible with 
well pow^dered charcoal, one stratum above 
another, then give it a heat sufficient to melt 
the silver, and it wnll be found on cooling to 
fuse into round grains resembling pearls. 

Figures to Imitate Ivory. 

Make isinglass and brandy, with powdered 
egg shells, into a paste, cast it in a mold 
while warm, first oiling the mold with sw^eet 
oil; if you grind the shells thoroughly, it 
will make beautiful ornaments. 



60 

A Good Cement to Mold. 

Mix rice flour with ^yater and gently sim- 
mer it over the fire; then mix it to the 
thickness of clay, nnd you may cast in 
mohls to any shape and it will take a beau- 
tiful polish. 

To Make a Common Plastor Figure Resemble 

Wax. 

Set the figure in a wnrm place and have 
it thorouglily dry ; then have a vessel large 
enough to contain it; have enough of the 
best and cleanest linseed oil in the vessel to 
cover the figure ; have it just warm, and let 
the figure stay in the oil say twelve to four- 
teen hours ; take it out and let it drain; 
keep it entirely free from dust until very 
dry. and it will resemble wax and beor 
washing. 

For a Black Japan.- — You may want to 
fill up spots that have been cliipped oif of 
Japaned work, the following will do on most 
things, at least it is the best for simplicity 
to the unskilled, you c -n also use it to Ja- 
pan the work entire. Mix a little gold size 
and lampblask and apply with a brush. It 
will bear a good glass even without varnish- 
ing over. 

To Silver Ivory.— Pound a small piece of 
nitric of silver (lunar costic) in a mortar, 



61 

add soft water to it and mix them well to- 
gether ; put this in a vial for use, when you 
wish to silver any ivory article, immerse it in 
the solution and let it remain till it turns to 
a deep yellow, then put it in clean water 
and expose it to the rays of the sun, or if 
you wish to make any rims or figures on the 
ivory, dip a camel hair pencil in the solu- 
tion and draw" your lines and after it has 
turned a deep yellow, w^ash it well Avith 
water and place it in the sunshine, occasion- 
ally wetting it with pure water in a short 
time it will turn black and then if well rub- 
bed it will change to a brilliant silver. 

To Preserve Wood agains Injury from 
Fire, — Put into a pot an equal quantity of 
finely pulverized iron filings, brick dust and 
ashes, pour over them a glue water or size ; 
set the whole near the fire and when warm 
stir them well together, with this liquid 
wash over all the wood work that may be in 
danger and when dry give it a second coat 
when it will be proof against damage by 
fire. 

To Cast Ornaments or Mouldings to Re- 
semble Wood. — Mix a very clean cement of 
five parts of flanders glue and one part of 
isinglass by dissolving the two separately 
in a large quantity of water, after s^iparat- 



62 

ing those parts which coukl not be dissolved 
by straining them through a fine linen cloth, 
mix them together. The glue thus prepared 
must be heated so that the fingers can 
scarcely be borne in it, by this the glue ac- 
quires more consistancy; mix raspings of 
wood or saw dust passed through a fine 
sieve wdth the glue, forming it into a paste, 
now rub the plaster or sulpher moulds w^ith 
linseed or nut oil, put in the paste and press 
the parts by hand thoroughly, cover it 
with an oiled board and place a weight upon 
it, when thoroughly dry remove it and 
smooth all unequalities. These castings 
can be pasted to any place with glue. 

Splendid Jet InK Powders. — Two ounces 
of extract logwood, twenty-four grains by- 
cromate potassa, twelve grains prussiate 
pottassium. Each of these must be separ- 
ately ground very fine in a mortar and then 
ground together. Keep this powder in a 
bottle for use; put a very little in a tea cup 
and pour on it thorough boiling water and 
stir with a bit of stich and you have a first- 
class inh. This quantity is enough to mix 
over a gallon of inh. These powders are 
very useful especially to those living in tha 
country. The inK must not be made or put 
into a tin or iron vessell. 



63 

lied Stain for Bedsteads or Chairs. — Ar- 
chil as sold at the shops, will produce a very 
good stain of itself, when used cold ; but if, 
after one or two coats being applied and suf- 
fered to get almost dry, it is brushed over 
with a hot solution of pearl ash in water, . it 
will improve the color. 

Fine Crimson. — Boil one pound of good 
Brazil dust in three quarts of water for an 
hour, strain it and add half an ounce of co- 
chineal ; boil it again gently for half an 
hour, and it is ready for use. If you wish 
it more of a scarlet tint, boil half an ounce 
of saiFron in a quart of water for an hour 
and pass over the work previous to the red 
stain. 

Purple. — -To a pound of good chip log- 
wood put three quarts of water, boil for an 
hour, then add four ounces of pearl ash and 
two ounces of indigo pounded. 

Fine Black. — In general, when black is 
required in musical instruments, it is pro*- 
duced by japanning; the work being pre- 
pared with size and lampblack, apply the 
black japan (as sold at varnish shops), after 
which varnish. But as black stain is some- 
times required for finger boards, bridges and 
flutes, you may then proceed as directed in 
staining ; the wood ought to be either pear, 



64 

apple, or boxwood, tlie latter is preferable; 
and if it is rubbed over when dry with a 
flannel dipped in hot oil, it will give it a 
gloss equal to ebony. 

Fine Blue. — Into a pound of oil of vitriol 
(sulphuric acid), in a clean glass phial, put 
four ounces of indigo, and proceed as above 
directed in dyeing purple. 

Fine Green, — To three pints of good 
strong vinegar add four ounces of the best 
verdigris pounded fine, half an ounce of sap 
green and half an ounce of indigo ; diluted 
in vinegar or verjuice improves the color. 

Bright Yellow. — You need not stain wood 
yellow, as a small piece of aloes put into 
the varnish produces the desired effect. 

To Make Shell Gold. — Take any quantity 
of leaf gold, and grind it with a small por- 
tion of honey to a fine powder; add a little 
gum arable and sugar candy, with a little 
water, and mix it thoroughly together ; put 
it in a shell to dry until you,w^ant it. 

Silver Size. — Take tobacco pipe clay, 
grind it fine with a little black lead and ge- 
noa soap, and add parchment size as directed 
for gold size ; any soap will probably do, if 
jo\x can not get genoa soap, but genoa soap 
is best* 



65 

To Clean Mirrors, or Looking Glasses, &c 
— Take a sponge, wash it well in clean wa- 
ter, and squeeze it as dry as possible ; dip it 
into some alcohol and rub over the glass ; 
then have some powdered blue tied up in a 
rag, dust it over the glass and rub it lightly 
and quickly with a soft cloth ; afterwards 
fiinish with a very soft cloth. 

A Green Paint for Garden Stands, Vene- 
tian Blinds, Trellises, &c. — Take mineral 
green and white lead ground in turpentine ; 
mix the amount you wish with a small quan- 
tity of turpentine varnish. This serves for 
the first coat. For the second, put as much 
varnish in your mixture as will produce a 
good gloss. If you desire a brighter green, 
add a small quantity of Prussian blue, which 
will much improve the color. 

Furniture Paste. — Scrape two ounces of 
beeswax into a pot or basin ; then add as 
much spirits of turpentine as will moisten it 
through. At the same time powder an 
eighth part of an ounce of rosin, and add to 
it, when dissolved to the consistency of 
paste, as much Indian red as will bring it to 
a deep mahogany color ; and it is ready for 
use. 

Furniture Oil. — Put linseed oil into a 
glazed pipkin, with enough alkanit root to 



66 

cover it ; boil it until it becomes of a strong 
red color ; let it cool and it will bo fit for 
use. 

Luminous Liquor.— Put a little phosphor- 
ous with essence of cloves into a clear bot- 
tle; keep it closely corked, and every time 
it is opened in the dark it will appear lumi- 
nous. 

A Liquid that Shines in the Dark. — Take 
a bit of phosphorous the size of a pea ; break 
it in minute parts, put into an earthen ves- 
sel half full of water and boil it; get a long, 
clear, narrow bottle with a close fitting glass 
stopper; immerse the bottle, mouth down, 
into boiling water, and put in the mixture in 
a boiling state ; cover the bottle with good 
sealing wax, and it will shine for months, 
when shaken, and in dry, warm weather 
beutiful flames can be seen rise. 

To Cause Iron to Run in Drops. — Heat 
a piece of iron thoroughly red hot and apply 
it to a roll of sulphur and the iron will run 
into drops. This experiment should be per- 
formed over a basin of water. 

To Cause a Stone to be in a Perpetual 
Motion. — Put some fine iron filings into a 
bottle with aquafortis ; let them remain until 
the aquafortis carries off all the iron requi- 



67 

site, which it will do in seven or eight hours, 
then pour off the aquafortis into a phial an 
inch in diameter with a large mouth and put 
in a very hard stone, stop up the bottle and 
the stone will continue in perpetual motion. 

Lead Tree. — A lead tree, if rightly made, 
is a most beautiful parlor ornament. It is 
very easy to manufacture it. Many persons 
pretend to produce something they call a 
lead tree, but there is no resemblance. First 
get a large, wide glass candy jar with a tin 
cover, the wider the better; clean it thor- 
oughly ; now get a strip of zinc an inch and 
a half wide, cut one end four cuts about 
one nnd a half inches straight up the zinc, 
bend the strips you cut two each way, so 
as to form feet to stand on the bottom of 
the jar; now cut the other end of the 
zinc in very small strips and bend them 
in different forms, as near the shape of 
branches of a tree as you can, but do not 
have them touching each otEer ; now place 
this tree like piece of zinc into the jar, 
leaving one of the branches straight up, to 
which tie a strong thread ; after the zinc is 
put in shape in the jar so that it will not 
touch the sides when standing upright,put two 
ounces of sugar of lea 1 into just the quan- 
tity of very clear soft water that will fill 
the jar; pour this into the jar where the 



()8 

zinc is, and, having a minute hole in the 
center of the tin cover, pass the thread 
through, put the cover on and draw the 
thread just tight enough to hold the tree 
up right jmd fasten it to a bit of stick (a 
bit of match); remember not to let the zinc 
touch the side of the jar, nor have it tall 
enough to touch the top, nor let the brancl.es 
touch each other, or the sugar of lead will 
get into one mass instead of forming 
branches. Curl the branches' points down, 
so the lead can hang grac< fully similar to a 
willow tree ; by putting clippings of zinc in 
the bottom of the jar it will resemble stones. 
Let stand until it clears. If this is put 
where it is not moved it will remain months 
and is very beautiful. A little tartaric acid 
will clarify the water after it has become 
dirty with standing long. 

Ornamental Designs in Glass. — Melt white 
wax or beeswax in a pipkin, then spread it over 
the glass, and the parts you wish to have your 
name or any design, scratch off the wax in 
those parts and go over it with floric acid, 
and when the wax is cleaned off your design 
will be perfect on the glass, provided the 
wax has been properly removed where the 
design was intended to have been. 

Violet Ink. — To one drachm of the prop- 



69 

er aniline color add one and a half ounces of 
alcohol in a glass ; let stand for three hours ; 
then add thirteen ounces of distilled water, 
and subject the whole to a gentle heat* until 
the alcohol evaporates — that is, until the 
odor of the akohol is imperceptable ; tiien 
add four drachms of gum arabic dissolved in 
tnree ounces of water ; mix and strain. 

White Ink. — Carefully wash some ogg 
shells and remove the inner lining; then 
grind them on a hard stone or in a mor- 
tar; now put them into a small vessel 
with pure water, and when settled draw 
the water off and dry the powder in the 
sun; preserve this powder in a bottle. 
When you want to use it put a small 
quantity of gum ammoniac into distilled 
wjiter and let it dissolve through the night. 
Next morning the solution will appear 
white ; and if you strain through a clean 
linen rag and add to it the powdered egg 
shells, you will obtain a very white ink. 
This is used for writing on colored paper, 
mostly for show cards. 

Erasive Soap, to Extract Grease, Tar, 
Paint, or Varnish from Clothing, &c. — 
Common Soap, one pound ; alcohol, one 
pint ; chip the soap fine and put in a clean 
iron vessel, pour the alcohol over it and 



70 

heat gradually until it comes to a boil ; 
pour into molds and perfume to suit your 
fancy. 

Good Blacking. — Ivory blacK, and com- 
mon molasses, of each one pound; sperma- 
ceti oil, four ounces ; white wine vinegar 
two quarts ; and thoroughly mix. 

For the Hair. — Tincture of cantharides, 
one ounce ; water ammonia, one ounce ; 
olive oil, one ounce ; bay rum, five ounces ; 
well brush the hair before using and it is 
the best hair dressing the world ever pro- 
duced; it softens the hair, stops its coming 
out, and causes new hair to grow that has 
been lost through disease. Try it by all 
means. It does not grease the hat or colar 
of the coat. Let aged persons use this and 
the hair will soon get a gloss. Use this and 
you will receive full value for all you have 
paid. 

To Beautify Brass Ornaments. — The bril- 
liancy of gold can be imparted to brass or- 
naments by just washing them with a strong 
ley made of rocK alum, in the proportion 
ot one ounce of alum to a pint of water ; 
when dry rub with leather and fine Tripoli. 

To Test Linseed Oil. — Cotton seed and 
pea nut oil is often mixed with linseed oil 



71 

and palmed off on the painter for pure lin- 
seed oil, and is the cause of so much scaling 
of varnishes and paints. You can test it in 
the following manner : To ascertain whether 
there is pea nut oil in the mixture, rub some 
of the oil in the palm of the hand until 
it becomes warm, and if pea nut oil is 
present it will smell of parched pea nuts ; 
and if cotton seed oil is present, when it is 
mixed with any dry colors it will get stiff 
or thicken and be spongy, and when used 
will not cover well. Many have the im- 
pression that this is caused by manufac- 
turers of white lead mixing whiting with 
their leads, but it is not so, for this reason : 
if whiting was mixed in making white lead, 
the whiting would run from the oil and settle 
at the bottom ; while the barytes with 
which this lead is made will remain mixed 
with the oil. If concentrated ley is mixed 
with the oil you may purchase, it can be de- 
tected best on work that has been sanded, 
as it will then lather up. Concentrated oil 
is frequently mixed Avith re-boiled oil. 

To Make Cologne Water. — Alcohol, 
one pint; oil of lavender, three drachms; 
oil of rosemary, one drachm ; essence of 
lemon, three drachms; oil of bergamot, three 
drachms; oil of cinnamon, three drops; 
mixed well together. 



72 

To Clear Muddy Water. — One-half 
ounce of the permenganate of potassa to 
thirty gallons of water, and it will clarify 
instantly. 

' For the Teeth. — Three ounces of am- 
monia ball, two and a half ounces of oreis 
root and two and a half ounces of prepared 
chalk, mixed well to a paste w^ith water; put 
the above into pill boxes, or, better, into an 
earthern box ; damp the brush, rub it on 
the paste and clean the teeth. This will not 
hurt the enamel of the teeth, but will give 
them a beautiful gloss, and there is nothing 
injurious in it. This you can not be sure of 
in purchased tooth pastes or powders. This 
can be used as a powder by mixing no water 
with it ; only grind it well together. You 
can scent it if you wish. 

To Take Stains of Walnuts from the 
Fingers. — Rub the fingers with very strong 
tea; then wash them well in water. 

To Destroy Roaches, Ants, Insects, 
OR Vermin. — The smell or touch of borax 
will kill roaches instantly, and by sprinkling 
borax around, crickets, bugs, ants and other 
pests of this kind will all disappear. Those 
who travel may keep powdered borax in a 
small pepper box, and if the bed is of a sus- 



73 

picious nature, dust the borax powder over 
the bed, and you will not be disturbed. 

Very Cheap and Good Fire Kindlers. 
— First steep corn cobs in hot water with 
two per cent, of saltpetre ; take them out 
and dry them at a high temperature over a 
fire ; now dissolve rosin in benzine, made to 
the consistency of thin varnish; let the corn 
cobs lie in this, say ten minutes, let them 
dry ; now put one of these cobs into the 
atuve or grate, build the coal over it and 
light it. You will be more than paid for 
the trouble, and there is not the slightest 
danger. A trial will teach you how much 
rosin. A half gallon will make a great 
quantity, and no wood is needed. 

All varnishes must be strained after they 
are made. 

Nickle Plating. — One pound nitric acid, 
two dollars worth of good silver, three nick- 
els (five cents pieces, and four ounces of mer- 
cury ; put the silver, nickels and mercury 
into the acid, let it stand uncorked till dis- 
solved, then add one and one half quarts 
rain water and it is ready for use. Clean 
thoroughly the parts to be plated, and with a 
piece of cloth made into a roll, rub well the 
parts, after turning a small portion of the 
liquid from the bottle on to the cloth. 



74 

To Make Common Ink Indellible. — Into a 
four ounce bottle put in lunar costic the size 
of a common pea. 

Copying Ink of Common Ink. — Put in 
a little of the best white sugar, or a very 
small portion of glycerine will do it. It 
keeps it from drying too soon. 

Stains of Walnuts from the Fingers.— 
Strong tea, then wash them in water. 

Cement for Leather — (patent applied for. 
— ^Gutta percha dissolved to the thickness 
of molasses in bi-sulphuret of carbon. Mode 
of preparation : Cut the guttapercha into 
small chips, put them in a bottle, then add 
the bi-sulphuret of carbor. Keep the bottle 
well corked, shake it occassionally and in a 
few minutes it will be fit for use. Mode of 
use: After having the blacking properly 
cleaned off, and the patch trimed to a com- 
plete edge, put H little cement on both pieces 
and put them together immediately, before 
allowing time to harden, finish off with a 
hot burnisher and in five minutes it will be 
ready for use. If you bevel the edges of two 
pieces of leather and cement them it is im- 
possible to pull them apart. 

Liquid Blueing for Clothes. — One ounce 
of best Prussian blue, pulverized; one- 



75 ; 

half ounce of oxalic acid ; one quart of soft 
water. Mix well. The acid dissolves the 
blue and holds it evenly in the water, so that 
specking will never take place. One or two 
table spoonfuUs of it is sufficient for a tub of 
water, according to the size of the tub. 

To Crystalize Tin. — Clean the tin free 
from grease with tvarm water and soap, then 
rinse well and dry it; now heat it so .you 
can just bear it in your hand, then expose 
it to the vapor of any acid that will act up- 
on tin, or pour on, or brush the tin over 
with a brush or .'sponge, the granular crys- 
talization varying accordingly to the strengtji 
of the wash and the heat of your plate. 
Make enough for your job, as no two mak- 
ings will be alike. You can use — Wash the 
first, one part by' measure sulphuric acid, 
diluted with five parts water: Wash the second 
with nitric acid and water of equal quanti- 
ties. ; Keep the two mixtures separate. 
Then take of the first mixture ten parts and 
one part of the second mixture. Repeat the 
operation till the tin gets cold, or till you 
may be satisfied, then varnish with trans- 
parent varnish. 

Another for Tin. — The fancy may be 
employed in using your acids in various de- 
grees of dilution, when, by the clou 'y re- 



76 

flections more or less resemble mother of 
pearl or assume the deep shades of rude 
leaves, of stars and other figures, or simple 
granulations. This is the process of Mr. 
Baget, and these his various mixtures. 1. 
Dissolve four ounces of muratc of soda in 
eight ounces of wat^^r and add thereto two 
ounces of nitric acid. 2. To eight ounces 
of water put two ounces of nitric acid and 
three of muriatic acid. 3. To eight ounces 
of muriatic acid add one ounce of sulphuric 
acid. One of the above mixtures at your 
pleasure is to be poured upon the heated tin 
while it rests upon a vessel of stoneware. 
•The mixture is to be thrown upon the tin by 
instalments, as it were; the tin is then to be 
thrown into a slightly acidulated water and 
then washed in clean water. 

Gold Varnish. — To be laid on the tin 
which has been ornamented by the above 
process. Two ounces shellac ; one ounce of 
annetta; one ounce of turmeric; thirty 
grains of dragon's hlood (pov/derod), dissolve 
these in twenty ounces of alcohol by gentle 
heat. 

To Cabinet Makers. 

After you have stained the new wood, you 
can use any kind of varnish you may choose 
in preference to mine. 



77 

Nota Bene. 

We authorize any lawyer or other person 
in the United States or Canadas to notify us 
should any one attempt to reprint or copy 
the foregoing, and we will pay them, because 
we wish to sell our territory free from in- 
fringements, and any infringement in re- 
printing the above will be prosecuted to the 
full extent of the law. Copy-Right Se- 
cured. 



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